Behind grey prison walls an inmate learns to readjust, to love, to take responsibility at crunch time. He repairs their fractured trust, provides new skills for life and helps retired greyhounds stride into a better future.
imagination
flying above the snows
a robin sings
© Xenia Tran
Many racing greyhounds have only been taught how to race and require rehabilitation and training to help them adapt to a new life as pets. Some ex-racers are rehomed straight from the track with experienced sighhound owners who are happy to do the rehabilitation themselves. Others go into foster care before they are ready for rehoming and some go into prison programmes where carefully selected inmates are trained as dog handlers. The inmates devote all their time to the rehabilitation of the hounds and are making a positive contribution to the dogs’ lives as well as to the wider community where the dogs are ultimately rehomed.
The Greyhound Inmate Experience is one of these programmes and you can visit their website if you are interested in adopting or wish to browse through their photo gallery and read some of the inmates’ letters. The stories of transformation and redemption are very inspiring and a great example of what can be achieved with a positive vision.
We wish you all a very happy Monday and a wonderful new week!
With love from Eivor, Pearl and Xenia xxx
Photographs by Xenia Tran, edited in lr.
Camera: Panasonic Lumix FZ200, settings: f/4, 1/640 s, ISO 100 and f/4, 1/1000 s, ISO 100.
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Good work by all. Great programme.
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Thank you Herb, it is a wonderful programme :o)
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That’s amazing! I didn’t know anything about the inmate dog handing scheme. What a great idea – hopefully it will help the inmates as well as the dogs 💖 You’ve really got the snow now, looks fabulous. Evior and Pearl look like they’re enjoying it too 🙂 xxx
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Thank you Cathy, these programmes are a great help for the inmates too and if you have time you might want to read some of their letters on the website. There are similar programmes in other locations and this one stood out for me. There is still a lot of snow and Eivor and Pearl are loving their snow zoomies. Hope you are having a great day too and much love to you and Finn :o) xxx
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The link is open and ready 🙂 Thanks for that and much love to you all xxx
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Thank you Cathy, enjoy the read :o) xxx
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🙂 xxx
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Thank you for sharing the wonderful program link, Xenia!
Beautiful photos in snow. 🙂
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Thank you so much for your kind words Amy and it is a pleasure to share ☺💖 xxx
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LOVE this, Xenia. I love all dog and inmate programs! What could be better than a second chance, for everyone?
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Thank you De, a second chance is what everyone deserves :o) xxx
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We also have programs for inmates who help rehabilitate dogs…and in the process, they receive so much in return.
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That is wonderful to hear Victoria, I wish they would have more programmes like this in the UK, especially for the retired greyhounds xxx
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I agree, a second chance for both the inmates and the hounds.
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Thank you Björn :o)
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Beautiful photos and thoughts.
That’s a worthwhile program helping all involved. Thanks for sharing about it.
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Thank you so much for your kind words E.C. and it is a pleasure to share :o) xxx
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Interesting program, Xenia. A win-win for all involved!!
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Thank you Liesbet, it truly is! :o) xxx
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This is inspiring and a very good programme. Nothing reaches your core faster than being responsible for a beautiful creature like this. The transformation, I can imagine would be permanent.
Love changes everything.
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Thank you so much for your kind words and thoughts Vivian, it is a beautiful programme for everyone involved and I agree, love changes everything for both hounds and inmates :o) xxx
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Definitely!
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What a lovely post, Xenia. Thank you for sharing about this prison program. It sounds like a win-win for all.
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Thank you for your kind words and thoughts LuAnne, I too believe it is a win-win for all and it is a delight to share :o) xxx
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It seems like the inmates and the dogs are helping each other.
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Thank you Frank, they truly are ☺🐕
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Wonderful writing and I love the thought of a time when co-dependance is a good thing.
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Thank you for your kind words Jilly, so true when the benefits can last a lifetime ☺💖🐕 xxx
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This stabs at the heart. All rehab should be so significant. Your dogs are warriors; so are their trainers.
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Thank you Zander, they are helping each other turn their life around on the inside in the most remarkable ways ☺🐕
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This is wonderful. I did not know about this. we have a neighbor who has two ex-race track greyhounds. What a wonderful program for the inmates. I know in the US there are similar programs involving horses. Thanks for sharing this.
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Thank you so much for your kind words and thoughts Anne and it is lovely to hear there are similar programmes in the US involving horses – I can imagine they are just as powerful ☺💖 xxx
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Very impressive and inspiring. Plus I learned something new. I had no idea about the inmates.
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Thank you so much for your kind words Laurie, this programme is a win-win for everyone ☺💖 xxx
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I appreciate the notes and backgrounder Xenia ~ Such an inspiring program for the inmates and hounds ~ Love your haibun on second chances ~
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Thank you so much for your kind words Grace, it is a very inspiring programme ☺💖🐕
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There is a wonderful book, “Weekends with Daisy” about the inmate/dog training program. I used to volunteer at two different prisons and I love that the inmates are given such a wonderful responsibility like this. They really do have a lot to offer. Great post, Xenia.
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Thank you so much for your kind words dear Lois and I so agree. I used to volunteer at a women’s prison where many inmates were prone to self-har. A carefully managed programme like this would have been an amazing second chance for them and the hounds. Thank you so much for suggesting this book – I have ordered it and look forward to reading it soon! ☺💖 xxx
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Beautiful pictures and Haibun. Also, I love to hear about prison programs like this – ones that will actually make a difference for the inmates and the dogs they are helping. No snow here yet, but it is supposed to turn a lot colder in the next 24 hours.
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Thank you so much for your kind words Vicky, this programme has such a positive impact all round and will hopefully inspire others to follow their example. Hope you all stay warm and much love to you and Tippy ☺💖 xxx
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What an amazing programme, Xenia, which I didn’t know existed! Greyhounds and inmates helping each other to a better future. And such a hopeful robin! 🙂 xxx
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Thank you so much for your kind words Kim and I would love to see more of these programmes for retired racing greyhounds. The robins are full of song and hope! ☺💖 xxx
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That sounds like a wonderful program. Beautiful winter photos Xenia! xo-Amy
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Thank you so much for your kind words Amy, it is a wonderful program and hopefully an inspiration for others to consider implementing similar programmes in the future :o) xxx
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Wonderfully positive message! Inspiring!
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Thank you so much for your kind words Frank! ☺🙋♀️
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Reblogged this on Frank J. Tassone and commented:
#Haiku Happenings #12: Xenia Tran’s latest #haibun for #dVerse Poet Pub’s Quadrille 46!
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Thank you so much for the reblog Frank! ☺🙋♀️
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My pleasure 😇
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Reminds me of my favorite bumper sticker:
“Who rescued who?”
All my best,
Paz
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Thank you Paz, that is a wonderful sticker! 😉🙋♀️
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Sounds like a good program for both.
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Thank you Pat, it truly is ☺💖 xxx
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Oh my God, Xenia. This is amazing. What an immense program to learn to give love and speak kindly to ourselves and to those (in this case dogs ❤ ) in need. Thank you for contributing this for Forgiving Fridays. I am touched, honored, and blessed. Love and Light to all those involved! And love your haibun. Really love it. Blessings, Debbie
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Thank you so much for your kind words Debbie and it a pleasure to contribute 💜 Much love to you from all of us here ☺💖🐕 xxx
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Forced in Roles Greyhound
Whippets Do Redress
From Racing
To Free
Again
No Longer
PriSons oF
Circles tHat
Go no wHeRE iN LiFE..:)
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Thank you my FRiEnD, it is good for both to be Free from those Circles now 🍀 Sending you sMiles across the miles and much love to you, Katrina and Yellow Boy too 🤗💖 xxx
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SMiLes mY FriENd
For While Circles
can and will
become ruts
Spirals Swirl
BeYond iNFiNiTy oF LoVE..:)
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Every circle becomes what you put into it – healing circles around the world spread nothing but light 😉💖 xxx
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Winks.. i can’t disagree with that.. continue your Beautiful Winter
My FriEnd..:)
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☺🙋♀️⛄💖 xxx
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☃️🌲💥☃️🌲⛄️
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Wonderful post.
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Thank you Indira 🤗
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